Crutch.



PATENTED MAY 31., 1904.:

I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, .1903.

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' 'citizenof the United States, residing at Gin-- cinnati, in the county. of Hamilton and State UNITED STATES Patented May 31, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

'CRUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,506, dated May 31,1904.

. Application filed June 3,1903. "Serial No. 159,898. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUeUsr G. KREIMER, a

of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grutches, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved crutch which-will yield to the weight of the body, thus relieving the jar of walking, which will not slip from under the user to cause falls, and which is of simple'and durable construction o My invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the lower portion of a crutch embodying my invention; Fig. 2, an end view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a bottom plan view of the groundpiece of the crutch.

To the lower ends of the crutch standards or legs A is secured a frame-piece B, in which is pivotal] y mounted a reversible groundpiece C. The piece C is preferably mounted on screws 0, having shoulders 0', which, taking against corresponding shoulders in pieceG, permit tightening of screws 0 without binding on their bearings 6 in frame B. A longitudinal rib c is provided at one side of piece C, and a spring-held clamp b with' jaws b is piv oted to frame B, so as .to engage rib and lock-piece C in either of its reversible positions. At either end piece 0 is provided with a cap D, secured to piece C by a threaded plug d taking into a threaded socketc in piece C. A nut 03- on cap D facilitates the removal or replacement of cap D. The plug d and cap D are bored to permit the free passage of screws E and E, which are yieldingly held in position byrubber blocks 6 and e in the bottom of sockets 0 Each of the screws E and E serves to secure a square rubber block or pad "F to the outer ends of piece C. A larger square rubber block or pad G is provided with a square central opening adapted to fit snugly over block F, where it is held againstcap D by its frictional engagetrude.

ment with block F. The, screw E in the end of the floor-piece designed for outdoor use is made long enough to protrude from block F and is held in position by two rubber blocks 6, while the other or indoor end is provided with a shorter screw Eand but one rubber block a to hold the screw in position.

In use out of doors the point of screw E engages with the ground or ice or snow to prevent slipping. Whenthe weight of the body is thrown on the crutch, the screw E yielding against the rubber blocks 0 relieves the jar.

In case the point of screwE should strike a hard smooth surface, such as a pebble or wet asphalt, and slip or tend to slip the yielding of screw E and the angle which the crutch assumes in slipping will bring one side of rubber pads F and into contact with the ground and prevent further slipping. This result is facilitated by the opening of the joint between blocks F and G on the contacting side, which presents the sharp edge g of the central opening in pad G to the ground. The pressure of block G on cap D forms an annular recess in the inner face of the block, so that when the block is reversed, as may easily be done, the outer face is slightly cupped in the center, which further tends to prevent slipping by suction. When the outer one of the rubber blocks 6 becomes worn or loses its elasticity, it may readily be replaced without disturbing the inner block.

In use indoors the ground-piece C is reversed and the weight borne directly by rubber blocks F and G, as screw E. does not pro- The action of the rubber blocks is substantially the same as'when they contact on the outdoor side to prevent slipping. They also relieve the jar in .walking. Here the yielding of screw E tends to relieve the jar of walking and by permitting the screw to follow rubber block F prevents the wearing loose of the threads in the block.

While I have shown and described the preferred means for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be confined to the exact construction disclosed; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a crutch, the combination of a rubber ground-pad; a screw securing the pad in position and capable of longitudinal movement; and a larger rubber ground-pad having a central opening adapted to take over the first pad and be held in position by frictional engagement therewith, substantially as specified.

2. In a crutch, the combination of a groundpiece; a threaded socket in the ground-piece; a bearing-cap having a threaded plug adapted to take into the socket; a screw taking through the cap and plug and capable of longitudinal movement therein; a rubber block in the socket behind the head of the screw; a rubber pad secured to the end of the screw; and a larger rubber pad having a central opening adapted to take over the first pad and be held in position by frictional engagement therewith, substantially as specified.

3. In a crutch the combination of a rubber ground-pad; a screw, capable of longitudinal movement, securing the pad in position and protruding from the face of the pad to contact with the ground; and a larger rubber pad having a central opening adapted to take over the first pad and be held in position by frictional engagement therewith; substantially as specified.

I. In a crutch, the combination of a reversible ground-piece; a rubber ground-pad secured to one end of the ground-piece by means of a screw capable of longitudinal movement; and a rubber groundpiece secured to the other end of the ground-piece by means of a screw capable of longitudinal movement and protruding from the face of the pad, substantially as specified.

5. In a crutch, the combination of a reversible ground-piece; a rubber ground-pad secured to one end of the ground-piece by means of a screw capable of longitudinal movement; a rubber ground-piece secured to the other end of the ground-piece by means of a screw 1 capable of longitudinal movement and protruding from the face of the pad; and larger rubber ground-pads having central openings adapted to take over the first pads and be held in position by frictional engagement therewith, substantially as specified.

AUGUST G. KREIMER.

Witnesses:

JOHN STUEBER, JOHN EDWARD RUNK. 

